The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-04-20
AN OLD CURIOSITY SHOP.
WHERE STRANGE AND VALUABLE
ARTICLES ARE STORED.

Paintings Worth Fortune-Alexan.
der Hamilton's Dueling Pistols
Story of n Crook-Quaint Curios.
eyes, have received many curious and
antique articles since l began business
thirty-five years ago" said Robert Tag.
gart to a Journal reporter. Mr. Taggart
is pioneer in the storage business, and
his mammoth establishment is filled with
old Objects each of which has an inter
esting history.
Now, among a vast collection of fine
paintings which got in the course Of
business" continued Mr. Taggart "are
two which l have been told time and
again are originals by Rubens. One rep
resents the alteration of the Saviour in the
stable at Bethlehem. The subject of the
other do not know, as have never met
any one who could tell me- There is an
inscription on this picture in one of the
dead languages, believe, because l have
never been able to find any one learned
enough to translate it. The picture rep
resents a queen on a magnificent throne
giving orders apparently to some of the
royal guards.
How did you become possessed Of the
picturesi" asked the reporter"
"The day the first gun was fred at
Fort Sumpter a gentleman who was very
well known here then and hated equally
as well for his avowed sympathy with the
Southern cause came into my place and
told me he intended going South and aid
ing the Confederates with his money and
every way else he could. He asked
me to take his household furniture on
storage,
You won't have to keep them long"
he said. The South will win sure, and
I'll return to New York, for l can't live
anywhere else
II took his furniture, but it has never
been called for. He raised a regiment
South and fell at Bull Run with his two
sons at his side. He had no near relatives
TO mourn his loss and so | have his fur
niture still. The Rubenses were among
his chattels and also a picture by Murillo
for which l have been offered 500, 600.
There is practically no price on the Ru-
benses. Besides thess pictures mentioned
have as fine a gallery of paintings as any
connoisseur would wish to look at. l
have always been fond of pictures and
never tried to dispose of any of them, al
though some of them would bring fabu-
lous prices"
Among other articles which Mr.. Tag
gart showed to the reporter was pair of
beautiful dueling pistols inlaid with solid
gold and silver, which are the same, Mr..
Taggart says, used by Alexander Hamil-
ton in his deadly encounter with Burr on
the Elysian Fields, where Weehawken is
now growing up. The pistols were once
owned by General Grant, but they passed
from him to another branch of the fami-
ly and finally came into the possession Of
Broadway jeweler, who is unfortunate
ly addicted to drink. During one of his
periodical sprees he placed the pistols,
with some other property, on storage
with MIR. Taggart in order to raise money
enough TO continue his debauch. He
never called for the weapons and the
mans wife wants them sold, as she saws
she hates to see them laying around the
house when her husband is on a spree.
About two months ago." said Mr..
Taggart, "a well-dressed, middle-aged
man came into my place and, handing
me small chamois bag, asked me how
much l would ask to keep it for him for
a day or two without examining the con-
tents. Twenty-Five cents, 1 replied.
''Well, sir, the fellow kicked like a
mule. He swore he wouldn't pay such
an outrageous price and finally beat me
down to twenty cents for two DAYS. Next
day detective from the Central office
came in looking for such bag and told
me the fellow who had left it with me
was famous Western crook and that he
had him locked up in the Tombs.
went down there with the bag. which was
opened In presence of the Judge and
found to contain diamonds valued at
nearly 100000 1t surprised me that
man wishing and thinking he could safe
ly conceal such a plunder would kick
about the cost, especially when you con-
slider the little l asked him
Among many other curious things
which Mr.. Taggart has are skeletons, cof-
Inns, grandfathers' clocks, horses. sheep.
cows, in fact all kinds of animals and
fowl, and as a curiosity shop in every re-
spect his place cannot be beaten.-Nsao
York Journal.
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A Great